Camp Au Pair is in the kitchen next week! As always, have a discussion with your host family about allergens and any food preferences they may have before beginning. This is a great resource for you to work with collaboratively with your host parentsTrT!

Feeling creative? Check out the Au Pair in America Pinterest board for some great ideas to get you started!

• Under the sea yogurt snacks   
• American flag brownies?
• Mason jar “lunchables”.
• Butter in a jar.
• Outer space snacks
• Make animal pancakes
• Rainbow weather cloud graham crackers
• Under the sea graham crackers!
• Marshmallows to build structures!
• Salads in a jar!
• Mac-n-cheese, try making it in a crockpot!
• Taco cupcakes are fun!
• Check out these yummy kid approved lunches!

Field Trips:

Visit a local farm, farmer’s market or artisan shop. Some allow you to order online and pick up on site. Check with your host parents first and always practice social distancing as directed by local, state and federal guidelines.

• Sassafras Creek Organic Farm – Order online Thursday evening for Saturday pick up at the farm in Leonardtown.
• Trossbach Family Meats – Follow them on Facebook for the weekly order options. Orders must be submitted in advance for Friday or Saturday pick up at the farm in Dameron.

 

Virtual Field Trip Options:

• Take a virtual trip to the White House kitchen! Start at the 30 minute mark.
• The American Egg Board has partnered with Discovery Education to bring modern egg farms into today’s classrooms through Virtual Egg Farm Field Trips. Join America’s egg farmers in exploring their farms! See where your eggs come from, then make an egg dish!

Videos:

• Martha Stewart Cooking School on PBS

Resources:

• Check out the Food Network’s kids cooking and baking shows.
• Cooking with Kids is a great resource for recipes, how to videos and so much more!
• Learn how to create a Grazing Board!
• Create a kid friendly grazing board!
• Special thanks to our young friend, Liz, a Girl Scout, for suggesting this great resource, How To Cook!

Let’s Create & Learn

• Start a simple vegetable garden with your host kids! Pick easy to grow vegetables like radishes, carrots and micro greens.
• Make Pao de Queijo from Brazil! Pao de Queijo is a Brazillian cheese bread!
• Learn how to make a yummy rice and  beans dish from Mexico!
• Visit the Food Network for yummy recipes to create together!

Books:

• Around the World Cookbook for Kids. Featuring more than 50 recipes for kid-friendly dishes from different countries, American Girl Around the World Cookbook will inspire young chefs to taste and learn about new cuisines while perfecting kitchen skills.
• Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make you a Pie, by Edna Lewis. Edna Lewis was a prominent Black chef who championed the South’s regional cuisine, fresh ingredients, and farm-to-table before it was cool. Illustrations along with stories and songs about Edna and food guide kids through this book. Plus, there are five special recipes sprinkled throughout.
• The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs.Want to make your own soft pretzels? Or wow your friends with homemade empanadas? What about creating a showstopping pie? Maybe some chewy brownies after school? From breakfast to breads, from cookies to cakes (yes, even cupcakes!), learn to bake it all here. You can do this, and it’s fun!

Who says you can’t play with your food! Have fun in the kitchen with your host kids!

Photo credits: Ruth Hartnup {flickr}, USDA {flickr}, soapydishwater {flickr}